Hands of Doom
by ForeverSmiles
Summary: Trying to escape her rough past, Janis Cooper moves in with her sister in Point Place, and meets the gang, who she gets along with extremely well-especially with Hyde. Hyde/OC Sorry, no Hyde/Jackie.
1. I Still Hate You

I watched the smoke travel up to the ceiling and gazed, lazily at it. Sometimes I wished _I_ was just a billow of smoke-especially a billow of smoke coming from pot. Life would be so much fucking easier that way.

I looked around the empty basement and tried to push away that feeling of un-welcomeness that I had been feeling the last few weeks.

Donna had tried fully-convince me that the rest of the gang wanted me here, but sometimes I thought otherwise when I saw Hyde half-staring, half-glaring at me from his chair across the room. Or when Jackie would giggle and look at me when she whispered something to Donna. Bitch.

I heard clunking on the stairs and glanced over to see who it was.

"What are you doing here?" Hyde grumbled as he sat down next to me in the circle (made of 2 people) and took the lighter from me.

"Well, hello to you, too," I said, smirking.

"It's Janis, right?" he asked, studying me and I rolled my eyes.

"Don't pretend like you can't remember my name, because I know you do."

"Whatever," he murmured as fresh puffs of smokes filled our nostrils and then he got up to turn on some music.

"I'm not changing it, so don't bother trying," he said as Zeppelin came on, and sat back down again next to me.

"No problem. I love Zeppelin," I admitted as the marijuana started to mess up my emotions.

For a while I didn't have to deal with not feeling welcome. I didn't have to deal with hiding my crush on Hyde and at the same time acting like I hated him as much as he hated me. Right now he was just, you know, a guy. He meant as much to me right now as Kelso or Eric or Fez.

"You do?" Hyde asked, dumbfounded and I nodded.

"Yeah. What's not to like?" I said, and let the music fill my ears and the marijuana fill my lungs before admitting, "It's helluva lot better than the crap music that Jackie makes me listen to." Hyde laughed.

"Yeah. I wish Kelso would just dump her already, and get her the hell out of here."

"Totally," I agreed, and for a while we just laughed and talked about other stuff that we agreed about, like how the government was out to get all of us, how much we hated our crappy home lives, and wondering what country Fez was from. It was creepy finding out how much we had in common.

"Well, I have to go. Sadie (my sister) will be wondering where I am," I said, getting up with a sigh. "I'll see you at school."

"Yeah. And today changes nothing. I still hate you!" Hyde snapped and I smirked at him.

"Yeah, well, I still hate you, too."

***

I shoved the key into the lock and opened the door to my small, crappy house that I shared with my older sister, Sadie. She's 21, so she can buy me beer. Haha, just kidding.

"Sadie, I'm home!" I called, shoving the key in my pocket and throwing my backpack on the table. When there was no response, I assumed she was out with Rick (her boyfriend).

_So she wasn't missing me at all. Great, _I thought as I scoped out our fridge for something decent to eat. Nothing. Big surprise.

I grabbed a beer and climbed the stairs to my room. Just because Sadie doesn't buy me beer doesn't mean that she doesn't keep track of all hers, which means she's basically handing me the alcohol herself. Good ol' irresponsible Sadie. Gotta love her.


	2. Not Very Zen

*Hyde's POV*

I was sitting in the basement, in my favorite chair with my feet up on the table. The whole gang was here and we were all really quiet as we watched a random show on TV.

Donna spoke first: "So what do you guys think of Janis?"

"Janis? She seems cool! I like her," Eric replied and Fez nodded in agreement.

"Yeah! And she's _hot,_ too!" Kelso cried, and Jackie glared at him. Why did she care? They broke up a long time ago.

"You're such a pig, Michael. And Janis isn't _that_ pretty, okay? And she's dirty and poor, kind of like you, Hyde!" Jackie chirped and I rolled my eyes.

"Gimme a break. That bitch and I are nothing alike," I growled, even though it was a total lie. After that one day in the basement it seemed like we had everything in common.

Eric looked at me weird. "Why do you hate her so much, man? She's not so bad-I mean, I figured you'd like her the most of us all."

They were all staring at me, waiting for my answer. Fuck. It was a good thing I had my sunglasses on.

"I-uhh-whatever, man," I snapped, and then crossed the room to the door. I just wanted to get the hell out of there.


	3. Flashbacks

*Janis's POV*

I was lying on bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling fan. The wings,or whatever thehell they're called,just went around and around and around and around and around.

The fumes from the pot floated lazily around my room, and I flicked the lighter on and off. On and off again.

Sadie would be getting home from work soon. She would freak if she knew I was getting high-she thought I had quit. As if.

My mind drifted through a sea of memories, the past scenes from my life, good and bad, being played over and over in my head like a movie:

_"Hey there, pretty lady!" a man slurred at me from across the street, but I just hung my teen aged-head low and tried to ignore him.___

_"HEY! I'm talkin' to ya'!" the same man screeched and came barreling across the street.___

_I sprinted straight ahead in a panic, my thin legs pumping faster than they ever had before. I felt a meaty hand on my shoulder and was suddenly being sprawled backwards.___

_"Don't be afraid..." the man murmured, but I reached up and slapped him as hard as I could.___

_"BITCH!" he roared, covering his fast and I shot up and hauled my ass out of there, looking over my shoulder every two seconds on my way out.___

"Janis!" Sadie called up the stairs for me, breaking me away from my thoughts. "Are you home?"

I collapsed back onto my pillow, too lazy and too exhausted to answer her.


	4. The Circle with the Girls

"So...what's up with you and Hyde?" Donna asked, jerking over to look at me. Her, Jackie, and I were the only ones in the Circle today.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, frowning.

"Oh, come on, Janis!" Jackie chirped and let out her annoying, high-pitched cheerleader laugh. "It's totally obvious that you guys love each other! Or at least you do."

Fuck. Was I blushing? _Play it cool, play it cool, _I thought. _Jackie doesn't know shit.___

"You guys are so full of shit," I said. "I hate him. He's annoying."

"Well, _I_ think he likes you," Jackie piped up and I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever."

"So, Jackie, what about you and Kelso?" Donna asked, and Jackie launched into a very uninteresting story about if she and her moron boyfriend were on or off right now, so I switched a mental dial over to mute.

Being in the Circle _was_ a lot better than getting high by myself. Even if it was with Jackie. It seemed like these days all I ever did was get high.

Wait a second. What's wrong with that?


	5. Drunk Make Out

*Janis's POV*

I was with the gang at GROOVES, and we had just cleared out all the marijuana smoke, when Kelso popped out the beers. Jesus, these guys don't ever stop.

I took a frosty cold beer and opened the can with the rest of the can, before guzzling it down. Kelso was smirking at me. Kinda in a pervy way.

"Looks like Janis could use another beer," he said with a grin.

"Bet your ass. I don't know about you wusses, but I can down beers pretty well."

"Better than the guys?" Donna asked, sipping her beer while Kelso handed me another.

"Better than Eric," I said, winking at the skinny brunette. "And Fez, too, I bet. Kelso and Hyde, I dunno."

"WE SHALL SEE!" Kelso shrieked, pulling out another six pack and handing some more off to me and Hyde, and made sure to save some for himself.

-SEVERAL BEERS LATER-

I beat Kelso hands down, who was lying passed out on the floor, but was no match for Hyde. We were both falling-over drunk, but while he was managing to keep himself steady and vomit-free, I was stumbling around and clutching my stomach as the world spun around me.

"Hey, hey, Cooper, you okay?" Hyde slurred, grabbing my forearm to keep me from face-planting into the ground.

I stumbled towards him and (in a drunken haze) mashed my lips against his, and neither of us pulled away for a while, letting it linger. And...was that tongue? Yes, there was no denying that Hyde's tongue was in my mouth for a few seconds.

"Whooo-ee! Look at Hyde and Janis!" Eric yelled, grinning and I pulled away, and Eric's grinning face was the last thing I heard before I fainted.


	6. Sadie's Pissed

I woke up with a pounding headache, and the world spinning around me. I moaned. "What happened?"

"You got drunk last night," Donna replied. I was lying on her bed and she was sitting on the end.

"I did?" I asked, pressing a hand to my aching forehead.

"Yeah." She grinned. "And you and Hyde totally made out." I rolled my eyes.

"We did not. You're just fucking with me."

"No, really, you did," Donna said. "Ask any of us, we were all there. Well, except for Kelso. He was passed out on the floor."

I blushed. "So...we really made out?"

"Well, you didn't _make out._ I was exaggerating. It was more like a long kiss, but Hyde seemed to be into it."

"H-he was?" I stammered, feeling myself getting _really_ red.

"Yeah. And you were, too." I rolled my eyes again.

"Hey, wait a second. Did I sleep over here last night?" Donna nodded. "Does my sister know I'm here?"

"No, I don't have her number. But what about your pare-" I cut her off.

"I have to call her! Where's your phone?" I asked, sitting up quickly and instantly regretting it. I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed that the room stopped spinning.

"Umm...in the kitchen. You want me to help you get there?"

"No. I'll be fine. Thanks, though," I said, and dragged myself out of bed and down the stairs. I picked up the phone in the Pinciotti's kitchen and dialed Sadie's number.

"Hello?"

"Sadie, it's Janis."

"Janis! What the fuck? Where have you _been?_" I was in shock. Sadie never swore. And I mean _never.___

"I, umm...slept over at Donna's. The reason I didn't call was because..." I searched my fuzzy brain for a lie, but couldn't find one. I was too hung over.

"I'm coming to pick you up. Don't go anywhere!" she snapped and hung up.

"Shit," I murmured. I was in big trouble. Sadie had _never_ been this mad.


	7. Not Used To It

"Just what the hell were you thinking?" Sadie yelled as soon as I got in her run-down car.

"Sadie-"

"No! No, I don't want to hear any of your damn excuses!"

"But-"

"You are," she paused. Sadie was just my sister, but she wasn't my legal guardian, so technically she couldn't ground me.

"Sadie, I'm _really_ sorry I didn't call," I explained, calmly. "but I didn't think I was going to sleep over at Donna's. I was _going_ to call you, but then I fell asleep..." _More like passed out, _I thought and she sighed as we approached her house.

"I know, but I was _really_ worried. I know you've been on your own a lot...living on the streets and everything." I swallowed hard. I didn't like to think about that. "I was just afraid that something had happened to you."

"I know, and I'm really sorry. It will never happen again," I promised.

I was so grateful to have Sadie be a part of my life again. I was so grateful for Eric, Kelso, Hyde, Fez, Donna, and even Jackie, too. Because I wasn't used to people caring about me.


	8. Like This

I was sitting, alone in the Forman's basement, watching cartoons. No one was home, and I sort of felt like a stalker, but Eric gave me a key so I figured I was welcome.

I considered getting in a one-man-or in my case, woman-Circle but decided against it. The Forman's could get home at any time and besides, I wasn't feeling up for it.

I flicked my lighter on with a push of my thumb and watched the fire dance, trying not to wallow in my own misery. What happened in the car with Sadie yesterday...made me feel different. Happier. It sounds stupid, but it was a new thing for me to be loved or cared about. Especially after growing up where no one cared whether I lived or died.

"Janis?" I looked up, quickly and shut my lighter off.

"Hyde. Hey."

"What are you doing here?" he asked, crossing the room to get to his chair. I shrugged.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"I wanted to be alone," he replied.

"Oh. Well, I guess me too." We were both quiet for a while, our eyes fixated on the screen but neither of us really watching.

"What are you thinking about?" Hyde asked, suddenly.

A few possible responses ran through my head like: "Nothing.", "Why do you care?", and "None of your business!" but I decided on the truth. "My past."

"Fun," he said, sarcastically.

"Not really. Not when you've had a past as bad as mine." I tried to stop myself. I didn't want to try to make him feel bad for me.

"What happened?"

"You don't wanna know," I replied and offered a fake laugh that sounded hollow and empty even to me.

"Come on, just tell me. I'm probably the only one who's not gonna make a big deal out of it." This was true.

I sighed. "I got in a lot of fights at my old school. The other students were bitches and assholes, and the teachers were morons. No one...understood me, and I hate most people in general so you can probably guess that I got in trouble a lot. Anyway, my parents got fed up and...kicked me out." I took a deep breath and wiped my eyes. Crap, was I crying? "I lived on the streets for a long time until I moved here, to live with my sister."

"Damn. That..." Hyde searched for the right word. "sucks." I grinned.

"You're not very good at comforting people, are you?"

"Not really."

"Don't worry. Me neither," I replied and looked up at him. His sunglasses weren't on and we locked gazes.

I blushed and looked away. "Umm..."

"What?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. I don't know." I felt like a little schoolgirl with a crush. I felt like...Jackie. I shuddered at the thought.

"The Forman's aren't going to be home for a while, you know," Hyde said and I turned to look at him.

"So?"

"So...we could do anything we want." I was still confused.

"Like what?" I asked and he leaned over to kiss me. _Oh. Like this._


	9. Hyde's Led Zeppelin Shirt

I kissed his neck while Hyde's hands moved to my jeans. He swiftly removed them and we helped each other undress.

"Shouldn't we...go to your room?" I murmured in between kisses, but he just shook his head and I made myself comfortable on the couch.

Hyde put himself inside me and I moaned in his neck.

Somehow we ended up in Hyde's bed, and we were staring up at the ceiling.

"You're on the pill, right?" he asked, nervously and I laughed.

"Yep. Don't worry."

"Hey, so, uhh...when you were at your old school, what did you get into fights about?" Hyde asked.

"Why?" I wondered, looking up at him.

"Just wondering."

I shrugged. "Lots of stuff. I guess the other kids just didn't like me cuz I'm a rebel." I smirked. "And the teachers didn't want to listen to me rant about how the government is out to get us, so they kicked me out of class a lo-"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Hyde interrupted. "You think the government is out to get everyone, too?"

"Yeah."

"Damn! You rebel against our government, you love Zeppelin, and you're easy, too? I think I love you!"

"I thought you hated me," I mocked.

"Naah. Just acted like I did."

I wanted to ask why, but didn't. "Like you _pretend_ to hate Jackie?"

"No, no, I actually hate her."

"Yeah, well, me too. Sometimes."

We heard the thud of footsteps coming down the stairs and I knew Eric was home.

"Crap," I whispered, but Hyde just shrugged it off.

"Don't worry. He won't come in here."

"Okay. Good. But we should really get some clothes on," I said and scanned the room for my shirt. "Shit! Where's my shirt?"

"WHOA! CHICK SHIRT!" Eric yelled from the other room and I facepalmed.

"Perfect."

"Just wear mine," Hyde said, holding out his Led Zeppelin shirt.

"You sure?" I aked and took it from him.

"Yeah." I slipped the shirt on as he pulled out a Rolling Stones t-shirt. "Besides, you're my girlfriend, so I want you to have it."

I raised my eyebrows. "Girlfriend?"

He shrugged. "Sure, why not?"


	10. Never Have a Chance

_**I have to warn you, these next couple of chapters are really short and kinda crappy...just thought I'd give you a head's up.**_

_**Rachel**_

"You and Hyde are dating?" Donna asked me, and then grinned. "I knew it would happen! Did I call it or what?"

"Yeah, you were right. Live it up!" I said, grinning.

"So, how did you guys make it official?"

"I don't know," I lied and she smirked.

"You guys did it, didn't you?"

"Right on this very couch," I confirmed, patting the couch in the basement, which was where we were.

"Janis! Eww!" Donna cried, giggling.

"Oh, like you and ric haven't done it on this couch?"

"You got me there. Everyone probably has, though."

"True," I admitted. "So who's Jackie got her eye on these days? Not that I care, I'm just trying to start conversation." Donna grinned and shrugged.

"Who knows? It could be anyone. Even Fez." We both laughed at that.

"Oh man," I said. "Fez is a good guy, but he would never have a chance with Jackie Burkhart."


	11. Before It Hit Me

I was sitting on the couch, wathing TV when the phone rang.

"Janis, can you get that?" Sadie called from upstairs and I groaned.

"I'm busy!"

"*Janis*!" she yelled, and I rolled my eyes and got up.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Janis?" It was Hyde.

"Hyde, hey. What's up?"

"I'm having a slow day, so I was wondering if you wanted to swing by GROOVES."

"Now?" I glanced at my TV, bag of potato chips, and comfy couch.

"Yeah."

"I'll be right there," I said and hung up. *Sorry, couch,* I thought on my way out the door.

I didn't have a car and Sadie didn't trust me with hers, so I hadto walk, which was a drag.

*Maybe I should have told Sadie where I was going. She's gonna be mad at me again,* I thought as I crossed the street. The honking of a horn tore me away from my thoughts and I whipped around to see a car speeding towards me.

_Oh shit,_ was the last thing I thought before it hit me.


	12. Dreaming

_"Am I dead?" I asked, opening my eyes and I heard laughter. I turned to look in the direction of the laughter and I saw my little sister, Claire._

_"No, you're not dead, you moron. You're just dreaming," she said with a smirk and I stared at her_

_"Claire, you're here," I whispered and sat up. We were in our childhood bedroom._

_She was twelve in my dream, which was how old she was when she..._

_"Yeah, I'm here. You feeling a little dillusional?" She waved her hand in front of my face and then grinned. "Well, of course you are. You just got hit by a car."_

_"Claire, I'm so sorry!" I cried, and burst into tears. "it's all my fault!"_

_"No, it's not, J. *You* didn't kill me."_

_"But...but I should've been there!" I sobbed._

_"J, this was supposed to happen. It was-what do you call it? Destiny. If I haven't died, you wouldn't have this amazing future," Claire explained._

_"What the hell are you talking about?"_

_"Just wait," she said, grinning._


	13. Visits from the Gang

I woke up in a hospital bed around midnight. Sadie and Rick were asleep in chairs beside me. It was dark and I felt alone.

"Sadie?" I called and she stirred and opened her eyes.

"_Janis!_ You're awake!" she cried and ran to my side.

"Yeah. What happened?" I asked.

"You were crossing the street and some psycho hit you with his car," Sadie explained, angrily. "Where were you going, anyway?"

"To meet Hyde at GROOVES," I murmured. "Did he come to see me?" She nodded.

"All your little friends did." I rolled my eyes. Sadie and I were only four years apart-they weren't my "little friends".

"Oh, good." *Even Jackie?* I wondered.

"You should go back to sleep now," Sadie said and I shook my head.

"I saw Claire." Sadie grew quiet.

"Go back to sleep, Janis."

"But-"

"Just do it." She sat down in her chair and closed her eyes. I tried to fall back asleep but couldn't. I was too wide awake now and in too much pain.

Mrs. Forman burst into the room and smiled at the sight of me. "Janis! You're awake!" she cried, happily at the sight of me. "Do you need any painkillers?"

"Yeah, that'd be great," I replied. My head, ribs, and right leg hurt like a bitch.

"Okay, just one minute!" she said and bustled out of the room. A man came in the room as soon as Mrs. Forman left.

"Who are you?" I asked, frowning.

"I'm Zach Broadfield," he replied. "and you're Janis Cooper, right?"

"So, what, are you a doctor?" I asked and he shook his head.

"A nurse." I giggled so hard that my broken ribs hurt like hell.

"YOU'RE A MALE NURSE? HAHAHA!" I cried, laughing.

"Stop laughing! You could damage your ribs!" he telled. He pretended to be worried, but I could tell he was pissed about me making fun of him.

"What is going on in here?" Mrs. Forman yelled, running into the room. "Mrs. Broadfield, please leave! You're disturbing the patient!"

Zach glared at me and stomped out of the room as my giggles died down. "Did you know he's a male nurse?"

"Yes I did," she replied and grinned, trying not to laugh.

Mrs. Forman gave me my painkillers and then left. With all the commotion, I was surprised Sadie and Rick were still sleeping.

It was the next morning and I woke up to see six friendly faces.

"Oh, hey! She's awake!" Kelso cried, happily munching on ice cream.

"Janis! Are you okay?" Donna asked, frantically and I nodded.

"Yeah, I guess. Hey, guys."

"What happened?" Hyde asked.

"I was crossing the street when some douche hit me with his car," I explained.

"What a tool! Although, looking at your hair, he probably thought you were a hobo," Jackie commented and I rolled my eyes.

"You got *really* lucky, Janis!" Eric cried, and everyone nodded.

"Do you want some of my candy?" Fez asked, holding out the paper bag and I shook my head. He clutched the bag to his chest. "Good."

"I _will_ take some of Kelso's ice cream, though," I said, and Kelso scowled and handed it over, muttering,

"My ice cream."

"I can't believe someone just hit you with their car! Who was it?" Donna asked.

"I don't know, I passed out after I got hit and my sister said it was a hit and run," I said.

"Damn," Hyde said.

After a while, Jackie dragged Donna to the bathroom with her, Kelso and Fez went looking for more food in the cafeteria, and Eric went to go talk to his mom, leaving Hyde and I alone.

"So, are you okay?" Hyde asked, squeezing my hand and I shrugged. "What's wrong?"

"I was dreaming and I saw my sister," I said, and Hyde stared at me.

"Sadie?"

I shook my head. "No, my other sister."

"Other sister?"

"Her name was Claire," I started to explain. "She was twelve and I was fifteen. Sadie was nineteen, and she already moved out. Like I said, my parents kicked me out and I lived on the streets for two years. But a few weeks after I left, my parents started...beating Claire. Badly. One time she came home an hour late from school and..." I swallowed the lump in my throat and blinked away tears. "my dad beat her to death. I always...blamed myself for it, because I should've been there to protect her..."

"I..." Hyde trailed off, not finding any comforting words as I wiped my eyes.

"JAAAANIS!" Jackie wailed as she came scampering in the room. "The bathrooms here are *gross* and Donna isn't cooperating! Can you tell me if my make-up is okay?"


	14. Parents Are Coming

It was later that day and everyone had left, and I was reading some of the magazines that the gang had left for me when Sadie and Nurse Broadfield came in the room.

"Janis, Mr. Broadfield needs to talk to you," Sadie said, sitting down in the chair next to me and I put down my magazine.

"Uh-oh. You look worried. What is it? Do I have internal bleeding or a concussion or something?" I asked and Nurse Broadfield shook his head.

"No, but you do have a few severe injuries so we'll have to keep you in the hospital for another week."

"Another week? Damn," I said. "Well, at least I won't have to go to school."

"Actually, your friend, Donna said that she would bring in your homework every day after school," Sadie cut in.

I groaned. "Dammit, Donna."

"Well, make sure to get lots of rest and you'll be out of here in no time," Nurse Broadfield said before leaving to go check on another patient.

"That wasn't so bad. What are you so worried about, Say?" I asked, picking up another magazine.

"There's something that _I_ need to tell you, too," she said, biting her lip, nervously. *Oh God, this can't be good,* I thought.

"Okay. What?" I asked.

"I called Mom and Dad...to let them know what happened, and they're driving to Point Place from Chicago to check up on you."

"Sadie, what the hell?" I yelled, my anger boiling. "I don't wanna talk to them!"

"They're your parents, Janis, you have to talk to them sometime," Sadie replied, calmly.

"I don't want to!" I yelled, pouting.

"You can't run away from your past forever," she whispered.

"Well, I can try!" I snapped and went back to my magazine, stubbornly. I pretended to read it, but my head was swimming. I couldn't face my parents again, not after what they put me through. I remembered my mom crying her eyes out at Claire's funeral, acting like she gave a damn about her...and my dad just standing there with this look on his face like he was angry at the world, when it was the world that was mad at him. It made me sick to my stomach to think about them coming to Point Place.


	15. Fantasy Land

It was around midnight and I was staring at the ceiling tiles, counting them for the 1,495,630,286,718,934 time. I couldn't clear my head enough to sleep, and my stomach was doing somersaults. My parents were arriving in Point Place in the morning. The whole point of running away was so that I didn't have to deal with them and their crap anymore, the whole point of coming to live with Sadie in Point Place was to start a new life for myself, a fresh start.

And now they were ruining everything by insisting on coming to check up on me. Like they gave a damn. I really didn't want to have to explain all that shit about Claire and my past to anyone but I would have to now. *God, why do my parents have to ruin everything?*

_"Janis, they're our parents. And even if you hadn't gotten hit by that car, they would have come down to Point Place to visit Rick and I sometime soon, anyway, so you would have to talk to them then," Sadie explained, calmly, trying to calm me down._

_"NOT IF I STAYED AT THE FORMAN'S UNTIL THEY LEFT! NOT IF I AVOIDED THEM!" I yelled, angrily. "I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE THEM AGAIN!_

_Damn Sadie, always trying to be the peace maker._ I blinked back tears. _Doesn't she care what they did to Claire? How can she be okay with that? Just...forgive them for killing her baby sister? How can she even stand to look at them?_ I looked at the clock and sighed. _Six and a half hours until those scumbags are in Point Place._

I rolled over so I was staring at the wall and covered my face with a pillow. The silence pounded against my eardrums and it was killing me. _I'm not at the hospital, I'm not at the hospital. I'm...with Hyde. In his room._ I felt a smile slip onto my face and I slipped into my fantasy land of Hyde and me.


	16. Parents on the Phone

Sadie woke my groggy ass up at around 8:30 that morning, telling me that my parents had just driven into Point Place, and would be here any minute.

"Fucking great," I murmured, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. I _really_ didn't wanna talk to them.

"You'd better not be acting like this when they get there," Sadie snapped and then left to go get me some breakfast. She came back and my parents still weren't there. 9:00 came and past, and so did 10:00 and then 11:00 and they still didn't come in.

"Gee, Sadie, where are my darling parents?" I asked, in a pretend innocent voice and she glared at me.

"I'm gonna go call them, and make sure they're okay," she said and hurried out of the room.

"THEY'RE FINE! THEY JUST DON'T WANNA SEE ME, JUST LIKE I DON'T WANNA SEE THEM!" I screamed after her and caught the attention of passing by patients and doctos, who peered in my room as they walked by. I rolled around and grumbled, "I got up at 8:30 for this?"

When Sadie finally came back, I was flipping through the channels on the hospitals crappy TV. She was biting her lower lip and looked nervous. I rolled my eyes. "What is it?"

"Mom and Dad are at my house and they're just getting settled in. They'll come visit you tomorrow night," Sadie replied, taking a seat in the chair next to me and I rolled my eyes again.

"I told you they didn't wanna see me."

"They do, too! Why else would they come here?" Sadie cried.

"Because they felt it was their responsibility as parents to check up on me, but they don't give a shit either way," I pointed out and this time Sadie was silent. I threw the remote down, angrily, after deciding on Scooby Doo, and yelled, "Damn, isn't there anything good on TV these days?"

It was later that day and I was taking a nap when Rick shook me awake.

"Whaaat?" I moaned, looking up at him.

"Sadie's on the phone with your parents and they want to talk to you," he replied and I rolled back over, covering my face with the pillow.

"FUCK THAT!"


	17. Get Out

The next morning someone woke me up at 7:00. I moaned and covered my ears.

"Sadie, go away!" I moaned. "It's fucking early!"

"Janis, watch your mouth." The voice replied, calmly and I froze. I slowly turned around and saw my mother sitting in the chair that only Sadie had sat in. She was wearing a smile that looked a lot like it was forced.

"Mom?" I asked and her fake smile grew wider as she nodded.

"Good morning, Janis. Are you feeling better?"

"I guess," I murmured, sitting up and refusing to look at her.

"I saw some really nice-looking pancakes in the cafeteria. Are you hungry? I can go get you some," she replied, sweetly and I frowned. Was this the same woman? She had never been specifically _mean_ to me, but she had never been this nice. Ever.

"Mom, what the hell?" I asked, bitterly and she just stared at me, confused.

"What are you talking about, Janis?"

"I'm talking about Claire! How can you just sit there and pretend like nothing ever happened?" I yelled. "Pretend like you didn't kill her?"

"I _didn't_ kill her!" she snapped, angrily. There was my mom. The _real_ her.

"No, no, you're right. Dad did." She just stared at me with a blank expression on her face.

"Your father knew you would react this way. That's why he didn't want to come see you, but I insisted. That's why he's not here now-" I cut her off.

"Why? Because he's too afraid to face me? Why should he be, when he could just beat me to death, too?"

"Now that's enough!" my mom cried, jumping up from her chair. "What happened to Claire was terrible, but it happened and I'm putting it behind me and you should, too."

"What about Dad? I bet he's put it behind him, too. I bet it was really easy for him," I growled.

"Janis, _stop_ i-"

"I bet he's picked up the bottle again, huh? And if Claire's not around for him to hit, then I guess there's only you."

"Janis, your father has been sober ever since Claire died!" she snapped, panicky.

"Sober my ass. You and me both know that's a lie," I spat and then shook my head in disgust. "Get the fuck out of here."

"I need to make sure you're oka-"

"No, not the hospital. Point Place. Take Dad and go back to faggy Chicago. I'm sure he won't mind, he never wanted to see me, anyway."


	18. Driving Everyone Away

"Janis, I _really_ think you should forgive your parents," Donna said. She was sitting on the edge of my hospital bed, after my hellish mother had left.

"You just don't understand, Donna," I argued. I had just told her the entire story about Claire. "How would you feel if your dad killed Tina?"

Donna sighed and scratched the back of her blonde head. "My mom took Tina with her when she left and you know that."

"Exactly. Do you forgive your mom for leaving you and your dad?" I asked and she didn't answer.

"I have to go..." she murmured, rubbing her eyes and ran out of the room.

"Donna, wait!" I called, but she was gone. I sighed and leaned back in my pillow. I grumbled, "Why do I always do that?"

"Do what?" I looked up and saw Sadie standing in the doorway with McDonald's.

"Nothing," I lied, but she rolled her eyes and set the bag of McDonald's next to me.

"You're a bad liar, Janis. Tell me what's wrong. Is it about Mom visiting you today?" Sadie asked. I shook my head as I pulled out a Big Mac.

"Well, I'm still pissed off about that, but I was just a total bitch to Donna when she was trying to be nice to me." I shrugged. "I'm always like that when it has to do with Mom and Dad."

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Sadie asked.

"Donna was telling me I should-"

"No, not about that. What happened when Mom came to visit?"

I shoved as much cheeseburger in my mouth at a time so I wouldn't have to answer right away. Sadie glared at me, and waited, patiently for me to finish my Big Mac. When I did, I reached for my fries, but she snatched them away from me.

"Not until I get an answer!" she snapped, and I groaned.

"God, _fine!_ She came in and was acting all happy crappy and like nothing with Claire ever happened, so I yelled at her and told her and Dad to get out of Point Place." I shrugged again. "No big deal."

"No big deal? It's a *huge* deal, J! What exactly did you guys talk about?" Sadie asked and I held out my hands for the fries. She gave them to me, intently listening for an answer.

"We just yelled a lot about Claire and then she said that Dad didn't even want to come see me, so I told her that they can just both go back to Chicago because I don't want them here," I explained and ate more fries, and then slurped on my Diet Coke. Then I continued ranting, "She actually had the nerve to tell me to just put the whole thing behind me. I mean, how _dare_ she-"

Sadie cut me off by quietly saying, "She's right."

"What?" I asked, stunned.

"You should forgive them for what happened." Sadie stared down at her hands, refusing to look at me. How could she say that? Right now, it seemed like everyone was against me. It just didn't make any sense that they would all be on..._their_ side.

"Do _you_ forgive them?" I asked, coldly and she just wiped away tears.

"Janis..."

"You don't, do you? So why should I?" I realized I was being a bitch, but I had to get these answers out of her. _Why do Mom and Dad have to make me act this way?_ I shook the thought away. Those douchebags weren't going to control how I acted anymore.

"I just think it would be better for everyone if you just...let it go. I-I'm working on putting it all behind me and you should, too."

"How would it be 'best for everyone'?" I wasn't trying to be a bitch, anymore. I was genuinely curious. "Do you know something I don't?" Sadie just shook her head and got up to leave.

"I should go. Rick is waiting for me."

"Sadie, wait!" I called, but she was gone, too. It seemed like everyone was leaving me. Everyone except for the people who I actually _wanted_ to leave me alone..


	19. Claire's Letter

_Dear Janis,_

_I hope you're reading this because I can never be sure if youll still be at the place you tell me you'll be in your last letter. Sometimes I wish that you would just come back home, because I miss you _so_ much. Things have gotten a lot worse since you left..._

_Dad's drinking a lot more. And now that you're gone, he has no one to hit and abuse. So now...he hits me. And Mom lets him. I really wish you would come home. I hope I'm not being selfish, but I just wanted to let you know._

_Write back soon!_

_Love, Claire_

_I was reading over her last letter, running my fingers over the words. I was sitting in the living room at Sadie's house after Claire's funeral, just staring at the last letter I ever got from my sister._

_"Janis..." Sadie said, tears streaking down her face as she put a hand on my shoulder. I simply shook my head and closed the letter in my fist. It was all my fault. My fault..._

I woke up in a cold sweat. "Not another one!" I moaned. As my days at the hospital were coming to an end, this was my third dream about Claire. Rick told me the dreams should stop once I got out of the hospital and when my parents went back to Chicago, which were both only a couple more days. And I still hadn't talked to my dad. Sadie, Donna, Jackie, Mrs. Forman...they all told me I should talk to him. Except for Hyde. He was the only person on my side 100%. He understood why I didn't want to talk to my father and he backed me up on it all the way. I was so grateful for him...


	20. Hyde's Advice

I was lying next to Hyde in the cot in his room, naked and smoking a cigarette.

"I never knew you smoked," he commented. There was no disapproving tone in his voice, it was just zero, so I didn't know how to answer.

"I really don't. Not all that much. Just to calm my nerves," I replied, truthfully. I had been spending every minute since I got out of the hospital with Hyde. More like having sex with Hyde. We'd been going at it nonstop for hours on end, and to tell you the truth, I think I was wearing him out.

"Is this about your parents again?" Hyde guessed and I nodded, taking a drag on my cigarette.

"Yeah. I always get tense when I have to deal with them. But I won't have to, after tomorrow." I turned to smile at him, but he looked doubtful. "Oh crap. What is it?"

"Nothing, nothing," he lied, shaking his head but I didn't buy it.

"Goddammit! You think I should talk to my dad, too, don't you?"

"Well...I just think you should get it out of the way now before it haunts you again later in life."

"Did Mrs. Forman tell you that?" I asked and he smiled, sheepishly and then nodded.

"Look, Janis, it's not that I don't _love_ this, but...the sex is _bound_ to get better when you come back all pissed off from talking to your dad!" I laughed out loud at that. Then I looked over at him and sighed. I knew what I had to do.


	21. The Truth

I was standing on Sadie's porch and I knocked on the door. Both she and Rick were at work, so I knew my parents would be the only ones there. The door opened and my mom was standing in the doorway. "Janis! You came!"

"Not for you. I came for pissed off sex with Hyde," I replied and she stared at me.

"What?"

I shook my head. "Never mind. Can I come in?"

"Of course." My mom stepped aside and let me walk inside the house. They had started to pack up their things, and suitcases were lying, half-filled all over the place. Mom called into the kitchen, "Honey? Janis is here!"

"Janis? Huh...I knew she'd come," my dad murmured, walking out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee and a Pop-Tart. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Okay, that actually took me by surprise. "I could ask you the same thing," I replied, coolly.

"You could have died, Janis. I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Why didn't you come to visit me at the hospital then?"

"I think you made it pretty obvious that you didn't want to see me."

"Oh wow. This is the first time you've ever done anything I wanted." We just glared at each other for a few seconds and my mom shifted, uncomfortably next to me.

"Janis...I didn't come here to see if you were okay," my dad admitted.

"AHA!" I yelled, pointing at him but he just ignored me.

"I came here to take you back to Chicago."


	22. Under Your Control

I was stunned. "What?"

"Your mother and I came here to bring our runaway daughter back home," Dad replied, calmly.

"Mom?" I asked, helplessly and she sighed and nodded.

"We want you to come back with us, Janis-"

"No, you don't!" I cut her off. "You just want me to be under your control again!"

"You can think that if you want-" my dad started, but I cut him off, too.

"I _will!_ And you know what else? I'm _not_ leaving Point Place and you can't make me!"

My father glared at me and the Pop-Tart crumbled in his fist. He was pissed off now. "Yes, we very well can. You have to come back to Chicago with us, you don't have a choice."

"Oh yeah? We'll just _see_ about that!" I turned on my heel and stomped out of the house. _Are they insane? They can't _make_ me go back to Chicago with them! Sadie wouldn't let them!_ Confidently, I walked to the Hub, where Sadie works (pretty cool, huh?) and approached her at the counter.

"Sadie, I need to talk to you," I said.

"Uhh...not right now, Janis. I'm busy," she replied as she scribbled down orders.

"I just need you to straighten something out for me. Can you tell Mom and Dad that, as my legal guardian, you won't let them take me back to Chicago with them?" Sadie looked up at me, her mouth hanging open slightly.

"They want you to do what?"

"Move back to Chicago with them. But that's not a problem, right? You won't let them, right?"

"Janis...I'm *not* your legal guardian! You just showed up on my doorstep one day. I took you into my home because you're my sister but I never applied for legal guardianship!"

"_What?_" I cried, panicky and people started to stare.

"Technically, you're still a runaway, J. And if Mom and Dad want you to move back to Chicago with them, then you have to!"

I felt sick. My palms got clammy and my face drained of all color and I broke out into a sweat.

"Janis, are you okay?" Sadie asked, putting her hand on my arm but I shook her off and ran out the door, wildly. I could hear her calling my name, but I ignored her and kept running. How did my life get so screwed up?


	23. Make the Last Few Days Count

I was sitting in the basement, watching TV with the gang. Ever since I had talked to my parents, I didn't want to be near them until I left Point Place on Saturday. Left Point Place. I eyed each and every one of them. Pervy yet innocent Fez, funny Kelso, stuck-up Jackie, smartass Eric, easy to talk to Donna, and...Hyde. I loved all of them so much in the short time since I met them and now I have to leave them all behind on Saturday. I was still trying to figure out how to tell them all.

"Oh hey, look!" Kelso cried, excitedly, pointing at the TV. "The Rolling Stones are coming to Kenosha this weekend! We _gotta_ go see them, guys!"

"The Rolling Stones? I'm in, man!" Hyde said, grinning from ear to ear. He loved the Rolling Stones almost as much as he loved Led Zeppelin.

"Eww, I'd rather take a nice bath and then paint my toes. Right, Donna?" Jackie asked and the blonde rolled her eyes and we exchanged annoyed glances.

"Not really, Jackie. I'd rather go see The Rolling Stones with Janis and the guys," Donna said.

"Sorry, Big D, I can't go. I'm leaving on Saturday-" I cut myself off as everyone stared at me.

"You're leaving?" Hyde asked, sounding genuinely shocked and a little hurt that I hadn't told him. I looked down at my hands.

"I, uh, yeah. My parents are making me go back to Chicago with them on Saturday. I didn't know how to tell you guys..." I trailed off.

"Damn, Janis, we didn't know," Eric said, worriedly.

"Oh My God! Janis, we _totally_ have to throw you a 'Going Away' party!" Jackie squealed and I expected everyone to ridicule her, but instead...they were agreeing with her.

"Yeah, that would be awesome!" Kelso agreed, grinning.

"We'll miss The Rolling Stones for you, Janis!" Fez chirped.

"A Going Away party actually sounds really fun! We could have it on Friday night, before you leave, Janis!" Donna cried. I felt a smile tug on the edges of my lips as I saw my friends planning a party and Eric running upstairs to go get Mrs. Forman, so she could help. After all, she _was_ the best party planner of us all.

It was later that day, after everyone else had left, and Hyde and I were alone in the basement. We sat there in an awkward silence.

His voice cut through the silence: "Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" He sounded a little hurt, and sort of mad but it was hard to tell, with him hiding behind his sunglasses all the time.

"I didn't know how to. I don't even like to think about it," I admitted.

"Well then let's make you forget," Hyde said and kissed me. *Okay, I definitely did not see that coming,* I thought, shocked and kissed him back.

"Aren't you mad at me for not telling you?" I murmured, but he just shook his head.

"No, no, I get it. Let's just make these last few days count, okay?"

I grinned into his lips. "I can live with that."


	24. Breaking Up

"Janis, can I talk to you in the basement?" Hyde asked. I was talking to Donna, Jackie, and Mrs. Forman in the kitchen on Thursday when he asked me. I tried to stifle my excitement-I knew what we would be doing downstairs, and it wasn't talking.

"Yeah, sure. Be right back, guys." I followed Hyde downstairs and instead of leading me to his bedroom, he sat down on the couch. "What's up?"

"Janis...I really need to talk to you." I could hear emotion tugging at his voice and started to get worried.

"Hyde, what's wrong?"

"I don't know how to say this...I mean, I've never done this before..." he trailed off.

"Never done _what_ before?"

"Janis, it's just...long-distance relationships are really hard and-"

"You're breaking up with me," I finished and he stared at the floor. I felt a tug at my heart, as if someone had squeezed all the life out of it with their fist.

"I'm really sorry, Janis. I really care about you a lot, but I just don't think we'll be able to make it work if you go to Chicago. If you were maybe able to stay here, then we probably could..." Hyde trailed off again.

"Okay," I whispered. I wanted to tell him I understood, that it was no big deal, but I just couldn't. I got up and left the basement, trying to force myself not to run. I walked through the streets of Point Place, tears threatening to spill over.

Reality hit me harder than the car that landed me in the hospital. At first I was just numbly saying to myself, "This sucks" over and over again, but it finally sunk in that I was leaving behind everyone that I loved. And I wouldn't see them again for a long time, as long as my parents had anything to do with it. I clapsed a hand over my mouth as sobs shook my body. Tears streamed down my face for the first time since Claire died.


	25. Going Away Party

I was standing in the middle of the Forman's living room with a cup of beer (Mrs. Forman thought it was punch), surrounded by the Formans and the gang, with a huge-ass banner that Jackie made that said: JANIS, WE'LL MISS YOU! I could tell it was Jackie that made it because it was printed on a pink banner with extremely girly handwriting.

Hyde and I waited to tell everyone about our break-up until after I had left, so it wouldn't ruin the party. It would be easier that way. The party was coming to an end and it was about time for me to be heading home. Fez approached me first.

"Goodbye, Janis! I will miss you and your sweet..." His eyes dipped to look at my entire body. "personality." I giggled.

"Bye, Fez. I'll miss you, too."

"Hey, Janis. We're really gonna miss you. You know that, right?" Eric asked as he and Kelso walked up to me next. I smiled as they each pulled me into a bear hug and whispered, "I'll miss you" in my ear. I blinked away tears, refusing to cry here.

"Oh My Gosh, Janis! I'm gonna miss you _so,_ so much!" Jackie gushed, throwing her arms around me and crushing the life out of me in an iron grip. Who knew the little shrimp could be so strong? I couldn't tell if she was lying about missing me or not. I convinced myself she wasn't.

"Thanks, Jackie. I'll miss you too," I murmured as I pryed her off of me. And I actually wasn't lying. I never thought any part of me could actually miss Jackie Burkhart. She was stuck up and shallow and she annoyed the crap outta me sometimes, but I didn't hate her. I could never hate her, or anyone here.

"Janis..." Donna said, brushing away tears. My bottom lip trembled and I choked out words,

"Donna, please don't cry." She burst into tears right there, ignoring what I had just said. She pulled me into a tight hug and before I knew it, I was crying, too. _Fuck,_ I thought, angrily. _I told myself I wasn't gonna cry tonight!_ I shook my head, knowing that this wasn't why I was angry. _I can't leave all this behind..._

Mrs. Forman got Donna to let go of me, so she could get a hold of me herself.

Finally, it was Hyde's turn to say goodbye. I was already crying, so I didn't bother to hide it from him. "Hey," I whispered.

"I'm gonna miss you," he admitted. "A lot. You don't have to believe me-"

"I do," I said, cutting him off. "And I'm gonna miss you too." Hyde pulled me into a hug and I let my tears stain his t-shirt. It was the Rolling Stones t-shirt he had worn after the first time we had sex. Which made me remember...

"I still have your Led Zeppelin t-shirt," I said, pulling back.

"Keep it," he replied. I nodded and smiled. I hugged him one last time and said a quick goodbye to everyone before leaving and shutting the door behind me.


	26. Back in Chicago

"Janis, I know this seems like a bad thing, but Chicago is exactly how you remember it!" my mom reassured me as my dad drove through the streets of Chicago in our crappy car. I was sitting in the back with my luggage, staring out the window. 'Chicago is exactly how you remember it!' That's what I was afraid of. My dad pulled into the driveway of our old house and both my parents got out to put my luggage in the car. I didn't move from my spot in the backseat, just continued staring out the window, until I forced myself to look at the house.

This was the house Claire died in. This was the house I ran away from. This was the house where my sisters and I had been beaten all our lives. This was the house where I wasn't wanted. This was the house that I hated more than anything.

"Janis! Come inside, honey!" My mom called and I rolled my eyes. Fuck her...


	27. The Old School

"Janis. Janis, wake up!" Sadie said, shaking me awake. "It's time for school." School. Point Place. Hyde. Donna. Eric. Kelso. Jackie. Fez. My eyes flew open and I saw that it wasn't Sadie shaking me awake, it was my mom. "Janis! It's your first day back at your old school! You don't want to be late!" My shoulders sagged and I let out a sigh of disappointment. For a second, I actually thought...

"Mom, this whole pretending to care about me thing is getting really old," I grumbled, getting out of bed and heading towards my closet. I could practically see her glaring holes into my back.

"And this whole snotty attitude thing is getting really old," she replied and stomped out of the room. I smirked and rolled my eyes. It was funny how she still thought her petty little insults had any effect on me. I picked out a pair of jeans, Hyde's Led Zeppelin t-shirt and a pair of sneakers before heading out the door without a word to my parents.

I considered ditching, but decided it wasn't worth it. At least I would get away from my stupid parents and hellish home life. I walked through the front door of the school, my backpack slung over my shoulder and my jaw clenched. I remembered these faces...and I knew they remembered me. A few of them were my friends but more of them were my tormenters. And the majority were idiots who don't know what the hell they're talking about and who love to pick meaningless fights with me. _I can't believe I'm back here..._ I thought, bitterly, suddenly wishing I had ditched.

I plopped down at an empty table in the cafeteria with my lunch and began to pick at my spaghetti, trying to block out the noises around me. _I'm in Point Place...I'm in Point Place...I'm in Point Place..._ I wanted to be back there so badly that I thought maybe if I said it over and over again I could convince myself that it was true.

"Would you look at this? It's Janis Cooper. I never thought I'd see _you_ here again." I looked up and saw Macy Greer staring, menacingly at me with her posse` standing behind her.

"Macy..." I murmured. Macy Greer was the popular bitch that makes girls like me feel like shit during high school. And she sure as hell remembered me... "Well, trust me, I didn't expect to be here again, either."

"Did you ever think that we don't want you here again?" Macy asked and I rolled my eyes. I desperately wished that it was Jackie saying these snotty things to me. I could deal with Jackie...I could _control_ Jackie. Macy was a whole other league.

"Did you ever think that I don't give a rat's ass what you want?" I shot back, pushing away my lunch. Suddenly, I wasn't hungry anymore.

"Janis, I stopped buying your whole tough act a _long_ time ago," Macy said as she waved her posse` away.

"Who says it's an act?"

Macy raised her eyebrows. "What are you gonna do? Punch me in front of everyone?"

"I've done it before," I replied. "Or have you forgotten?" It was the reason my parents kicked me out of the house...It was the fifth fight I'd gotten into in a month, so they kicked me out when I punched Macy after she had mouthed off about Sadie being a bitch. Macy paled for a second, but regained her composure.

"Really? You're gonna get into another fight your first day back?"

"You sound surprised. You shouldn't be," I said and got up to go throw away my lunch. When I came back, she was gone.


	28. Letters from the Gang

_**Janis,**_

_**I thought I would write you this letter because I know that you must be missing us all a lot. Haha. But we do miss you a lot. Especially Hyde. But he'll never admit it. You know how he is.**_

_**You've only been a part of our gang for a short time...but now the basement seems empty without you. What are you doing right now? Hmm...I guess we'd all like to know. Nothing's the same without you. Kelso and Fez have to go back to hitting on me and Jackie all the time, and they're always complaining about how we always tell them to fuck off while you would bounce your boobs around and play along.**_

_**Hyde just mopes around all the time now. He tries to hide it, but we can all tell he's missing you like crazy. And "completely and utterly depressed" as Jackie puts it. Eric's more open about how much he misses you. Yesterday he pulled out a shirt of yours that he found one time in the basement, and pouted, "I miss Janis." We **_**all**_** do. Hyde got all pissed off and took the shirt back. Do you know anything about that? Hmm? Haha.**_

_**Well, I have to go now. It's like, one o' clock in the morning and my dad is pounding on the door, telling me to go to sleep. Write back!**_

_**Donna**_

I felt a sharp pain in my heart and brushed away tears. It was Friday afternoon, and I had suffered through a whole week at my new school when three letters from Point Place arrived for me.

Wiping away tears, I set aside the letter from Donna and tore open the one in Jackie's handwriting. Maybe this one wouldn't hurt so bad...

_Dear Janis,_

_I can't believe your stupid parents made you move out of stupid Point Place. We all miss you _so_ much! But I have to admit, I am so, so, SO jealous! Point Place is the most boring place on the plaent. You have to tell me all about Chicago! Is it as fabulous as I think so? But then again, any place is fabulous compared to Point-freaking-Place._

_Sorry, I think I'm babbling a lot. Donna says I do that. I know that you don't like me that much because you're poor and poor people can't see good things (like me!) when they're right in front of them. But I suppose I can't blame you because it's not _your_ fault you were poor. And you're not even that poor, so you learned to love me just like everybody else.(: Poor Hyde is _way_ too poor to ever realize how grateful he truly is to have me in his life._

_I think that being poor prevents a common sense gene or something. It's a good thing that rich people like me have it! Or else I wouldn't be able to tell that you really are a nice person, even if you are poor. And that _was_ a compliment, incase you were wondering. Donna is reading this over my shoulder and said that I insulted you a whole bunch of times by saying poor people are stupid, but she's just a lumberjack. What does she know?_

_You know that I meant it in a good way._

_I have to go now, Janis, because Mrs. Forman wants me to bake cookies with her and I have to think of something fast to get out of it. I will _not_ touch anything that came out of a chicken butt! Eww! I have people make cookies for me, I don't make them myself! Hey! I should send you some! What's your favorite cookie?_

_Love, Jackie_

I was wrong. If anything, this letter hurt just as bad, if not worse. I always thought Jackie hated me...and her insensitive ranting about poor people being stupid just made me miss her more. I tore open the last one, biting my lip in anticipation.

**Janis,**

**We heard the girls were writing you letters, so of course, we had to write one, too. We didn't want you thinking that they missed you more than us. Because it's not true, so get it out of your head right now!**

**Hey, it's going to be spring break in a couple of weeks. Maybe you can convince your parents to let you come back to Point Place for the week! And the summer, too. That would be fucking great, man cuz we all miss you a lot. Your parents are dicks, by the way. We would say "no offense" but we know that you'll just laugh and agree and definitely **_**not**_** be offended so there's really no point.**

**Luckily, you'll be eighteen soon so then you won't have to listen to your parents anymore and you can **_**move**_** to Point Place!**

**From Eric, Kelso, Hyde, and Fez**

It was Eric who had written the letter, I could tell. But I also knew that Hyde, Kelso, and Fez had read what he was writing over his shoulder and then scribbled their names at the bottom, but it was all they needed to do. Because everyone cared. They fucking _cared_ enough to take the time to write me a letter, even Jackie.

And what could I do? Write them a letter back. I knew that my parents would never let me go to Point Place for spring break and they would never deliver Jackie's cookies (made my Mrs. Forman or store-bought) to me. They wouldn't let me do _anything._ I was powerless.

The worst part was, I thought I had lost that feeling a _long_ time ago.


	29. Sadie Said No

"_Janis!_" my dad shouted, flinging open the bedroom door. It was almost 2:00am that very same Friday that I got the letters and I had just finished replying to all three of them. I had read them and re-read them, and then folded them up nicely and put them in cream-colored envelopes. I usually didn't take the time to do _anything_ that perfectly, but these were my friends-my fucking _family._

Now I had one more sheet of blank paper spread out in front of me, my pen poised at the very top of the paper when my ass of a father had come bursting through the door. I stared up at him, mouth in an O.

"Go to _bed!_" he snarled and turned the light off before slamming the door and stomping down the hall. I muttered a curse word before getting the flashlight from under my pillow and shining it on the piece of paper as I began to write:

_Sadie,_

_Do you remember when I first ran away from home before Claire died and you took me in no questions asked? And then Claire died, and you asked me why I ran away from home in the first place? Do you remember what I said? I do. I told you I couldn't remember, which was actually true. I was too depressed over Claire's death and too happy to be living with you to remember how awful it was back at home._

_But I remember now._

_And I have to run away again. I want to move back in with you, in Point Place. And I really, _really_ want you to be on board with this._

_Janis_

It was a week until I got all four letters back, and I wanted to read them all at the same time, so I shoved the letters from the gang into my sock drawer until Sadie's got here. When it _finally_ did, I read hers first:

_Janis,_

_No. _No._ A hundred times no. You are _not_ running away and you are _not_ moving back in with me. Believe it or not, I respect Mom and Dad's wishes. And I also respect that they know what's best for you, even if you don't think so. I'm sorry, Janis, but _no.

_I know you miss me and Steven and all of your other friends, but it's not like you're never going to see them again. What about when you all come to visit Rick and I? You can swing by the Forman residence every day of your visit, if you want._

_You'll do just fine in Chicago. I know adjusting will be hard, but _please_ try. For me. I know that change is scary, but you can do this. What about your old friends? Haley and Brian and Tiffany? Did you ever think of getting back with them?_

_Well, anyways, write back!_

_Love, Sadie_

Numbly, I thought, _I can't believe Sadie said no._ Haley and Brian and Tiffany had been kids that I made up to keep Sadie from pitying me after Macy had bullied me to tears at thirteen. Well, actually, I didn't make them up. Brian was a kid who I had had a crush on for four years before I ran away, Haley was the only other person in school who agreed with me about the government and while we weren't friends, we could tolerate each other, and Tiffany was a girl from my French class who whispered the answers to me.

But Eric and Kelso and Fez and Hyde and Donna and Jackie meant way more to me than Haley, Brian, and Tiffany ever had.


	30. Taking Dad's Beer

I leaned back on the couch, happily, with a sigh. One of the things I loved most about the letters I got from the gang were that they were all _different._ Donna's included pages upon pages of how much everyone misses me and then fills me in on what's been going on with them, while I do the same back. Jackie writes to me, asking about Chicago and complaining about Point Place and venting to me about boys, while I told her Chicago wasn't so great and offered any advice I could about her boy dilemma. Not to mention asking where the hell my cookies were.

But while I loved Donna and Jackie, the letters I got from the guys were my favorite, for one reason only: they offered _hope._ They offered up ideas of me coming down to Point Place during Spring Break or on some weekends and some jokes about them hitching a ride up to Chicago to come see me. The letters from the guys were what kept me fucking _going._

I was in such a good mood that I even dared to swipe one of my dad's beers before he got home, so I could watch Scooby Doo. It made me feel..._at home_ because that was what I was usually watching in the basement.

"Janis? I got off work early, so-" my mom started, walking through the door and setting her purse down on the table, but then freezing when she saw the beer in my hand. "Oh...Janis, you know how upset your father gets when you touch his alcohol."

"So who's gonna tell him?" I challenged her, taking a sip. She reached to take it away from me, but I shook her off.

"He's gonna notice that one's missing, anyway..." she trailed off. "and you're too young to be drinking anyway, Janis."

I shrugged. "So what are you gonna do? Tattle on me?"

"He's going to find out," my mom challenged. "It would be better if _you_ told him, but since you won't...it would be best if I did, rather than he find out on his own.

"So you're gonna tattle on me," I summed it up, raising an eyebrow as if to say, "Real mature." My mom just sighed and shook her head, and went upstairs.

Sure, enough, she tattled on me. My dad came home pissed off as usual and then he talked to my mom, and got even _more_ pissed off.

"What did I tell you about drinking my beer?" he snarled, and I flinched.

"I thought you were sober now," I replied, refusing to show him how nervous I was. He looked mildly confused for a moment.

"Who told you that?"

"Mom. At the hospital in Point Place."

"Oh." His frow burrowed in deep thought for a moment and then he shrugged the comment off. "Anyways, I fucking _told_ you not to drink my beer! You're not even old enough to be able to _touch_ it! What are you? Fifteen?" I rolled my eyes.

"I'm seventeen, dad."

"_Whatever_-"

I cut him off. "What does one beer matter? You have cases full in the fridge." He raised his hand and slapped me, leaving me in shock.

"Don't get a smart mouth, missy!" my dad snarled and stomped away, leaving me alone, with his red handprint on the side of my face.


	31. Running Away

It was a little after midnight on Sunday night and I was shoving all of my clothes into a suitcase as quickly and quietly as I possibly could. The only thing in my suitcase besides my clothes were the various letters I had gotten from the gang. Those letters were honestly the only things in my room that I loved.

I zipped up the suitcase and slipped on a pair of sneakers and a jacket before slipping silently out the window. The strong winds sent chills down my back as I ran. The time from when I escaped the house to when I got on the train are just a blur. Now I'm just gazing out the window, trying not to nod off while everyone else on the train stares at me.

Probably wondering what a seventeen-year-old kid like me was doing on a train to Wisconsin in the middle of the night. Probably wondering if I was a runaway (which I was) and what it was that had made me run away. But what they didn't know was that it wasn't so much what I was running away from, but who I was running to.


	32. Hiding Out at the Forman's

I walked through the streets of Point Place as the sun started to come up at dawn, dragging my suitcase behind me. I saw the Forman residence looming into view and my heart swelled three times it's normal size, like the Grinch.

I tightened my grip on my suitcase and quickened my pace as soon as I saw the house. No one would be awake yet, which was probably good. I knew that Eric and Hyde, and the rest of the gang would be expecting letters from me today. Little did they know, they would get a lot more than a letter.

I was crossing the driveway, running my hand over the Vista Cruiser, and staring into the empty, familiar kitchen. I put my hand on the handle of the screen door, but stopped myself. I shook my head and turned back around, manuevering my way around the house to the basement door. I turned the handle, hoping (and also knowing) that it would be unlocked before I let myself in.

The basement was exactly how I had remembered it. I quietly shut the door behind me and set down my suitcase next to the couch. I knew that once my parents realized I was gone, this would be the first place they would check, but I didn't care. If they brought me back to Chicago, I would just run away again. Every day, I would repeat the cycle until I was eighteen. Because it would be worth it.

I walked into Hyde's small, dingy room and shook him awake. He grumbled something like, "Mrs. Forman, just five more minutes," and rolled over. I giggled and poked him.

"Get up, dillhole. I traveled all this way to see you."

Upon hearing my voice, Hyde shot up like a jackrabbit, and stared at me, his mouth forming a perfect O. "Janis!"

"The one and only," I replied, grinning and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him in for a hug. "I missed you so much."

"Me too," he murmured and I leaned back and then we kissed. I couldn't tell you who kissed who, because it was at the same time. Because we both wanted the same thing.

"Can I hide out here?" I whispered, and he nodded and then I told him the whole story, every single thing that happened when I stepped foot out of Point Place. With my tearful voice the only thing heard in his small room and me resting on his chest, we reunited, we got back together without recognition, we just knew.


	33. Telling Stories

"You rode the _train?_ Eww!" Jackie cried in disgust. "You sat on seats where other people sat and sweated on? _You were sitting in butt sweat, Janis Cooper!_"

I laughed and shot her a smile. "Thanks for being concerned for my well-being, Jackie."

I was sitting at the Forman's kitchen table, with the gang gathered around me, while I told them my story. Kitty gasped and ran off to phone my sister and Red called me a dumbass and the gang were completely amazed, and pumped to have me back after hearing my tale.

"Wow, Janis, that was so badass!" Eric cried, grinning.

"I know," I replied, smirking and taking a sip of Mrs. Forman's hot chocolate.

"We missed you!" Fez beamed, glancing at my boobs and then back up at my face.

"I missed you guys, too."

"Well we know _that!_" Kelso protested. "Or else you wouldn't have run away from home just to see us."

"Yep. I ran away just to catch a glimpse of your hot bod, Kelso," I joked and winked at him and he smiled so wide I thought his face would crack in half.

"What did your parents say? Do they even know yet?" Donna asked and I shook my head.

"I don't want to deal with them."

"Janis, honey?" Kitty called and I looked up to see her holding out the phone. "It's your sister."

I got up and made my way to the phone, putting it to my ear. "Hi, Sadie."

"Janis! I thought I made it _very_ clear that you weren't to run away again! Mom and Dad will be _pissed_ when they come to take you home!" Sadie cried, angrily.

"I'm not going back to Chicago," I replied, firmly and she let out a frustrated sigh.

"Oh yes, you are, Janis! Because you sure as _hell_ aren't staying with m-"

"Dad hit me," I whispered into the phone and she was silent.

"What?"

I repeated what I had just said, equally as quiet. I didn't want anyone, especially Kitty (who was trying to eavesdrop) to hear.

"He did?" I could tell that she was trying to hold back tears, and I knew what she was thinking. That this was how it started with Claire, and it would end with Claire's fate, and then she would be down _two_ sisters.

"Yeah." I cleared my throat. "Sadie, I want you to call Child Services and tell them what's going on. And then I want you to register to be my legal guardian until I'm eighteen." Silence. "Please?"

Sadie let out a sigh and a small laugh. "Of course I'll do that for you, J. I love you."

"I love you, too." There was a click as she hung up and I smiled as I hung up the phone and turned around to tell seven eager faces what just happened.


	34. Protection

"...so I just have to wait a little while for them to confirm it, and then I'm your legal guardian!" Sadie chirped from the other end of the phone. It was a few days later, and I was stretched out on the couch in the basement with Donna and Jackie.

"Alright, cool," I replied and rested the phone on my shoulder while Sadie ranted.

"So, what did Sadie say?" Donna asked, looking at me, curiously.

"She's gonna be my legal guardian in just a few days," I said, and Jackie squealed and clapped her hands together.

"Oh My Gosh, Janis, that's _awesome!_ Any word on your parents?"

"Sadie's gonna call them after she becomes my guardian and explain everything that happened," I explained. I still hadn't told them about my dad hitting me, and didn't plan to. Hyde was the only person I told.

Donna opened her mouth to say something, but I heard banging and yelling come from upstairs.

"Damn. What's going on up there?" I asked and all three rushed up the stairs.

"Where the _fuck_ is my daughter?" my dad screamed after flinging the coffee table across the room, his face inches away from Red's. My mom was standing behind him, looking nervous and Kitty was cowering behind the couch, terrified.

Eric, Hyde, Kelso, and Fez had just arrived, too, to see what the hell was going on. Hyde gave me a look that clearly read, _Oh My God, Janis._

"_You!_" Dad screamed, pointing at me and I just about crapped my pants. "Come with me!" I felt Donna squeeze my hand, and I swallowed the lump in my throat before replying,

"No. Sadie's requesting permission to be my legal guardian. You're too late."

"Oh no, I'm not!" he bellowed, grabbing my arm. "She didn't get permission yet!"

Everyone jumped forward. Red and Hyde ripped his arm off me, and Kelso, Fez, and Eric stood between him and me. Donna and Jackie screamed threats and clawed the shit out of his face.

"She's not safe in your home," Kitty said, calmly. "and I'm sorry but we just can't let you take her back."

"She's my _daughter!_" Dad snarled.

"But you don't love her," Eric challenged. "We do."


	35. The End

"Good news, everybody!" I cried, flinging open the door to the basement. "Sadie is my official guardian as of right now!"

"ALL RIGHT, JANIS!" they yelled, grinning up at me and I collapsed into Hyde's lap, remembering when I first met these guys and I thought he hated me. Haa!

I remember when I was in Chicago, wondering if I would ever step foot in this basement again, ever see their faces again.

I realized that all of my troubles are over now, and there are only good things to come. Scooby Doo came on TV, and I couldn't help but smile.


End file.
